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Forest Successional Stage Affects the Cortical Secondary Chemistry of Three Old Forest Lichens

Journal of Chemical Ecology volume 33, pages 1607–1618 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Three epiphytic old forest lichens (Usnea longissima, Pseudocyphellaria crocata, and Lobaria pulmonaria) were transplanted along a natural shade–sun gradient comprising three successional stages in boreal spruce forests (dense young forest, open old forest, and clear-cut) for one summer. After harvest, extractable secondary compounds were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography, and the brown pigmentation in melanic species was quantified by reflectance measurements. Cortical compounds in all species increased from shady young forests to exposed clear-cuts. Usnic acid, the major cortical, secondary compound in U. longissima, showed consistently higher concentration in the clear-cut than in the two forested stands. Pseudocyphellaria crocata and L. pulmonaria, lacking extractable secondary compounds in the cortex, significantly increased their amounts of cortical melanins in well-lit stands. The medullary compounds showed more complex responses. Many were not influenced by environmental conditions during the transplantation, whereas the majority of those that responded showed the lowest concentration in clear-cut transplants. Only a few medullary compounds showed the highest concentration in the clear-cut, and at a low level of significance. The synthesis of UV-B-absorbing usnic acid and melanins seems to be part of an acclimation to increased light exposure. The medullary compounds in studied species barely function as solar screens despite their strong UV-B absorbance.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Kristin Palmqvist, Håkon Holien, Lise Cats Myhre, Olga Hilmo, Mikael Ohlson, and Camilla Iversen for help with collection of lichen samples, set-up and/or maintenance of the experiments. We are also indebted to Professor Harrie Sipman at the Botanical Museum in Berlin, Germany, for giving us standards of the lichen compounds tenuiorin and stictic acid; and to Professor John Elix, University of Canberra, Australia and Professor Riitta Julkunen-Tiitto, University of Joensuu, Finland for help with identification of lichen substances. This study was supported by the Norwegian Research Council (project number 15778/V40).

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  1. Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway

    Line Nybakken, Johan Asplund, Knut Asbjørn Solhaug & Yngvar Gauslaa

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  1. Line Nybakken
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  2. Johan Asplund
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  3. Knut Asbjørn Solhaug
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  4. Yngvar Gauslaa
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Correspondence to Line Nybakken.

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Nybakken, L., Asplund, J., Solhaug, K.A. et al. Forest Successional Stage Affects the Cortical Secondary Chemistry of Three Old Forest Lichens. J Chem Ecol 33, 1607–1618 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-007-9339-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-007-9339-5

Keywords

  • Lobaria pulmonaria
  • Pseudocyphellaria crocata
  • Usnea longissima
  • Rainfall gradient
  • Light
  • Solar screening
  • Lichen substances
  • Usnic acid
  • Melanins
  • UV-B